Sacro-iliac belt



17 192 May 7 a A. PRATT SACRQ ILIAC BELT Filed May 11. 1922 hrewfor:

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Patented May 17, 1927.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

CLARA A. PRATT, oasT. PAUL, Mmnnsom, Assrenoa or ONE-HALF T EDITH M. SCANLAN, 0F MINNEAPOLIS, MINNEsoTA.

SACBO-ILIAC BELT.

Application filed May 11,

'3" My invention relates to sacro iliac belts and has for its object to provide a belt adapted to be applied to the hmna'n body independent of any wearing apparel thereof I so as to exert pressure against the sacro iliac joints and cause immobilization of the said joints and thereby relieve discomforts caused by sacro iliac sprains.

Another object is to provide a belt having in *fhont and rear body members with means for adjueta blyconnecting: said members so that the same at all times occupy the sane relative positions upon the body of the wearer.

A still further object is to provide the li belt with independent means for adjusting the tension along the upper and lower portions of said body members so that the same may be caused to correctly fit the body of the wearer.

Another object is to wrovide means for attaching the belt to the vody of. the wearer so that the hip bones of the wearer do not come in contact with the belt thereby avoiding any pressureupon the same and consequently any discomforts therefrom.

A still further objlect is tov provide the beit with adjusting members on both sides thereof so that the connecting members between the front and rear body portions of the belt may be silrniltaneously adjusted.

Another object is to provide a pair of perineal straps which are attached to the front and rear body member of the belt and which may be adjusted in reference thereto;

3:: A still farther object is to provide a pad attached to the rear body member which pad is formed with a ridge along the center thereof adapted to exert pressure upon the sacro iliac joints "when the belt is properly positioned upon the wearer.

The fall objects and advantages of my invention will appear in connection with the detailed description thereof and are particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings illustratingthe application of invention in one form Fig. 1 is a perspective View of my invention showing. the same as if it were applied to the human body.

Fig. 2 is a near View of the rear body member of the belt.

3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of Figure 2 and drawn to a larger scale.

My invention consists primarily of two M body members A. and B which are marinated 1922. Serial No. 560,121.

by a number of straps 10 and 11 as clearly indicated in Figure 1. Body member A, as best shown in Figure 2, is forn'red substantially of the same width tlu'ougho'ut, said member being rounded oil at the ends as indicated at .14. This body member is turther shaped with a slight amount of curvature as shown in the drawings so that when the said member is positioned on the back of the wearer below the hips said body member extends :ircumferentially for a dis tance around the wearers person. Body member .A is cmistructed out of heavy canwas or other :i'uitable material and is bound around the edges with a strip of twilled taoe 15.

The stra 'is l0 and 11 previously referred to are stitched to the body member A along the upper edges of the same immediately adjacent the binding edges 15 thereof, the

said straps following the curvature of the body member. As will he noted in Figure 1, body men'iber A extends almost entirely across the body of the wearer. To support the same and prevent the said member from wrinkling and to aid in causing the same to lie flat- I provide a number of stays 16 which may be constructed of whale bone or other material and which are attached to the said body member A, and extend across the straps l0 and 11. w

The front body member B of the invention is constructed similarly to the body memberA and is preferably formed of canvas bound along the edges with twilled tape as indicated at 17. This member is consid' erably shorter than the body member A but is formed similar in construction and may be made curved so as to fit the body when the same is applied thereto. On the forward face of the body member B, I attach two short straps 18 and 19 which a e stitched tov said body member adjacent the bound edges thereof and which have buckles 20 attached to the ends of the same. In addition two stars 21 are provided which cause the said body member to lie flat upon the person of the wearer when in use.

In applying the belt to the body the ends of the straps 10 and 11 which are indicated at 12 and 13 are brought through buckles 20 of straps 18 and 19. As the said strap ends are drawn through these buckles the bolt may be inljustably attached to the body as desired its" the mnployment of two of straps the belt may be independently adjusted along the upper and lower portions of the same so that the belt may properly fit the wearer and conform to the gradually sloping contour of the human body at the point of application thereof. In addition it will be noted that the straps and 11 upon leaving the body member A and connecting with the body member B are ar ranged in spaced relation to one another. When the belt is properly positioned upon the wearer these two straps are so located that the said straps straddle the hip bones of the wearer thereby removing all pressure from the hip bones and eliminating discomforts to the wearer therefrom. For holding the ends 12 and 13 in place I provide loops 22 which are attached to the ends of the cal along the said pad G.

ends may be passed.

Upon the body member A, I attach a pad indicated in its entirety at C which comprises an envelope 23 having a filler 24 within the same.

The envelope 23 may be made of chamois skin or any other suitable material and is preferably formed in the shape shown in Figures 1 and 2. "he filler 2% is made of three pieces of heavy felt 25, 26, and 2.7, which are arranged within the same as shown in Figure The said felt strips are shaved down along the edges of the same so that a ridge 28 is formed extending verti- It will be noted that the outer strips 25 and 27 extend across the entire pad while the inner strip 26 is positioned between these two strips and held in place thereby. The'entire pad is stitched by means of a seam shown at 29 to the body member A inthe position indicated.

In applying the belt to the wearer the ame is, positioned with the pad C lying along the lower extremity of the spine with the ridge firmly placed upon the sacro iliac joints. Ends 12 and 13 of straps 10 and 11 are then properly adjusted to give the desired pressure upon the said joints so as to render the same immobile and so as to cause the belt to properly lit the body.

Inasmuch as the belt is applied to a sloping portion of the body I provide perineal straps 30 which are attached to the body members A and B and pass between the limbs of the wearer. These strips consist of strips of narrow webbing 31 which are attached to the body member A at points positioned between the pad C and the ends of the said body member. liver these straps of webbing are placed pieces of gummed rubber tubing 32 which prevent the perspiration of the wearer from rendering the said strips unsanitary and also causing said straps to rest comfortably against the body of the wearer. The ends 33 of the straps 350 are adapted to engage buckles 34 which are attached to the body member ll near the center thereof. After the belt has been applied to the body straps 30 are properly positioned and the ends 33 drawn through buckles 34 by means of which the said straps may be properly adjusted to hold the pad C in place and to assist in exerting the do sired pressure upon the sacro iliao joints. If desired the felt straps used within the interior of the pad may be dispensed with and metal or leather members substiluhul in place thereof when the pi ure secured through the felt padding insullicient to produce the results desired.

It can readily be seen with my invention that a device is provided which is extremely light in weight so that the use of the same is not noticeable to the wearer. In addition the parts are so arranged that the belt may be made in a few sizes to .lit any wearer without having to have the belt made to order. Further the attaclnnent of the connecting straps at the sides of the device so as to straddle the hip bones prevents discomfort occasioned with other devices in which a single strap or other means are used in which pressure is applied to the said hip bones. The device being made of fabric and similar materials can be frequently cleaned and thus kept in a sanitary condition.

In accordance with the patent statutes I have described the principles of operation of my invention together with the apparatus which I now consider to represent the best embodiment thereof, but I desire to have it understood that the construction shown is only illustrative and that the invention can be carried out by other means and applied to uses other than those above set forth within the scope of the following claims:

1. A sacro iliur bolt comprising :1 supporting member, having a rear body portion. a pad secured to the center of said body portion formed with a ridge positioned vortically along the same.

2. A. sacro iliuc bolt (rom n'ising a supj'iorl ing member having a rear body porliou :1- sacro iliac pad comprising an envclo 'ie, u filler within said envelope formed with a ridge along the same, said pad being secured to said rear portion along two of its edges.

In testimony whereof I allix my signal urn.

CLARA A. PR1 'l" l loo ill) 

